With the draft and free agency mostly in the books, Anaheim’s prospect focus shifts to a different kind of summer move: the addition of Anton Wahlberg. He’s the only new prospect the Ducks picked up over the past year outside of the players they just drafted, and he arrives after a trade with Buffalo that sent defenseman Olen Zellweger the other way.
The Ducks didn’t stop there. Along with Wahlberg, Anaheim also picked up the 45th overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft and used it on defenseman Jayden Kurtz. Wahlberg himself was a second-round pick by the Sabres in the 2023 NHL Draft, going 39th overall, and he has spent the last two seasons mostly in the AHL.
Before coming to North America, Wahlberg logged 43 games in the SHL after being drafted, finishing with five goals and 10 points. He also represented Sweden at the World Juniors and posted a goal and three points in seven games.
Once his SHL season wrapped up, he crossed over to the AHL and made his debut with the Rochester Americans, where he picked up a goal and four points in nine games. Rochester made the playoffs that year, and Wahlberg added a goal in five postseason appearances.
His first full AHL season gave a clearer picture of what he could be. Wahlberg played 63 games for Rochester and scored 11 goals and 30 points. He was held off the board in six playoff games, but he also returned to the World Juniors and made a bigger impact there, scoring four goals and eight points in seven games as Sweden won silver.
This past season, Wahlberg took another step in workload and production. He appeared in 68 AHL games and finished with nine goals and 37 points, then chipped in three assists in three playoff games.
At 6’3”, Wahlberg has the kind of frame Pat Verbeek tends to like, and he moves well for a player his size. The offense hasn’t fully exploded yet, but he handles the puck well and the hope is that the scoring keeps climbing as he develops.
San Diego is where he’s headed next. The Gulls suddenly have a need for center depth with Tim Washe in Anaheim, Nathan Gaucher getting close to the NHL, and Jan Mysak not qualified. Wahlberg should be able to slide into that opening right away, and he could pair with Roger McQueen to give San Diego some real punch down the middle.
There are two clear goals for his first season with the Gulls: stay in the lineup for most of the schedule and push past the 40-point mark. Wahlberg has already shown he can handle heavy AHL minutes, having played more than 60 games in each of his first two seasons, and that trend needs to continue. If he finds chemistry with Sasha Pastujov, Matthew Phillips, or Yegor Sidorov, the production could jump.
The long-term picture still points to an NHL role. If Wahlberg reaches Anaheim, it likely comes as a bottom-six forward with some second power-play-unit time mixed in. That doesn’t look like a likely outcome this season, but the Ducks could see him in two or three years.
Wahlberg is under contract for two more years and will be a restricted free agent when that deal expires. If he performs for the Gulls, a new contract should follow, most likely on a two-way deal.
If he forces his way into the NHL picture, a one-way deal could be next. A long-term commitment doesn’t seem likely unless he really takes off in Anaheim.
In Other News...
Ducks Add Another Low-Cost Blue Line Option Fans Will Debate
The Ducks kept adding to their organizational blue line depth this week, joining a wave of minor league free-agent activity around the league. Anaheim signed defenseman Travis Mitchell to a one-year, two-way contract, a low-cost move that fits the kind of depth shopping teams often do at this stage of the calendar as they try to shore up both the NHL roster and the AHL pipeline.
Mitchell is coming off a season that included his NHL debut, while he spent most of the year with Bridgeport and produced 1 goal and 17 points in 58 games with a plus-3 rating. For Anaheim, the appeal is obvious: another inexpensive option on defense, another body for the organization, and another name that could end up in the mix if injuries or call-ups start to thin out the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Are Taking No Chances With A Cornerstone Of Their Future
The Ducks have spent much of their summer acting like a team that knows exactly where its future lives. Anaheim has kept its free-agent moves restrained and made clear to other clubs that it intends to protect its young core, with Leo Carlsson at the center of that plan. Coming off his best season yet, the center has become the kind of player a rebuilding team can build around, and the Ducks are treating his next contract like a priority rather than a possibility.
That caution fits the broader picture around Anaheims roster, where rivals have already shown interest in other pieces of the young group. The Flames tried to pry Mason McTavish loose, only to be outbid by St. Louis in a deal built around draft capital, a reminder that the Ducks talent is drawing attention even before the next wave of decisions arrives. For now, though, the real focus is on keeping enough room available to make sure Carlsson stays in Anaheim for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Former Ducks Veteran Already Found His Next NHL Home
John Carlsons time in Anaheim was brief, but the veteran defenseman still left the Ducks with a reminder of why teams keep betting on him. After arriving from Washington at the trade deadline and finishing last season in Orange County, the 36-year-old brought the kind of steady production and experience that can still matter on a blue line, even as his career has already spanned well over 1,100 games.
Now Carlson has a new landing spot, and it comes with real commitment from a contender. Tampa Bay signed the unrestricted free agent to a two-year deal worth $17 million, a sign the Lightning see him as more than a depth addition as they try to keep their roster in win-now shape. For Anaheim, it is another quick reminder of how fast veteran rentals can move on once the season ends. [Read more 🡒]